The scene of the crash on the A47 at Honingham. Picture: Norfolk Police

Hard-hitting footage of a fatal collision in Norfolk has been released by police in a bid to get motorcyclists and drivers to think seriously about road safety.

The dramatic film, captured on a headcam fitted to the rider’s helmet, shows the moment a car crosses into the path of Norwich motorcyclist David Holmes who was killed on the A47 at Honingham in June last year.

David’s story, a video featuring clips including the collision as well as an interview with his mother Brenda, has been produced by police with the full support of all his family, who hope the campaign will prevent further deaths.

A motorcycle hearse carrying David Holmes, who died in a motorcycle crash on the A47, arrives at his funeral at St Faiths Crematorium with a cavalcade of bikers.
PHOTO BY SIMON FINLAY

Viewers of the video are warned that it contains content which some may find distressing, but it does not show any graphic images of the rider during or after the collision and they are given the option to refrain from viewing.

The 38-year-old had been travelling at about 97mph at the time of the collision. While he was travelling above the speed limit the driver admitted to police in interview that he had not seen David, nor a car behind the motorcycle, prior to the collision.

Chief Inspector Chris Spinks, head of the Norfolk and Suffolk Roads Policing Unit, said the video was hard-hitting and understood public opinion would be divided.

He said: “The video is shocking; however this is the reality of fatal collisions. The emotions people may experience after seeing this video can only touch the surface of those feelings that families and friends go through when losing a loved one in this way.

“The consequences of fatal collisions are devastating for all involved and as such our message though education has to reflect this. I firmly believe this footage is powerful enough to make riders and drivers think about their behaviour on the road; and most important of all, change it for the better.

“I understand releasing such footage will divide opinion; David’s family are in full support of the material being released and we’ve worked closely with his mother Brenda to ensure this is achieved in an effective and sensitive way.

“The causes of collisions are almost always the result of driver or rider behaviour. Motorists, be it on two wheels or four, need to take responsibility for their actions. I would urge riders and drivers to think about their behaviour and what changes they could make to improve their own safety and that of others on the road.

“I’m confident this campaign will make people take time to think about their actions on the roads and allow David’s family to take something positive out of this tragic event.

“The aim of releasing this footage is not to achieve agreement from the public; it’s about delivering messages around road safety and how deaths can be prevented. I welcome the fact it will create debate and, in my view, this will get people talking about road safety; their actions behind the wheel or on a bike and it will go some way to achieving our aims.”

David had been travelling from King’s Lynn towards Norwich when the collision happened at the crossroads with Woods Lane and Berrys Lane. The driver of the Renault, who admitted not seeing David or the car travelling behind, was prosecuted in April. While David was travelling above the speed limit, a number of other drivers had seen both the motorbike and the other car.

Ch Insp Spinks added: “We know from the footage that David was travelling up to 100mph. Regardless of the speed of the bike, the car manoeuvre should not have been attempted. Clearly, he was taking a risk and has paid the ultimate price. The majority of bikers ride responsibly however, I’m sure many will relate to the riding style seen in this video. We know motorcyclists are a vulnerable group and this sad case is a reminder to all roads users to be alert to what is going on around you and to lower your speed.”

David’s mother Brenda, a retired nurse who lives in North Walsham, said she hoped that by telling her story, she could help prevent another family going through the heartache they had and continue to experience.

She said: “I want to be involved in this campaign because I feel something positive can come out of his loss. If we can prevent one accident; one family going through what we have been through then David would not have died in vain.

“I know he rode fast that day, he loved speed but he also loved life. This hasn’t been an easy thing to do but I just hope that somebody benefits from the warning; that people slow down and take time to look for bikes. I’m not a perfect driver, I’ve done silly things sometimes and I’ve been lucky to get away with them, David wasn’t lucky, the driver wasn’t lucky.”

Brenda has seen the footage and said one of the saddest things for her is that he could see what was going to happen. “He must have had a moment of fear at the end of his life; I find that very hard to deal with. David was the most wonderful son and his loss has left such a void in our lives. Being without him has changed everything; our lives ended that day and I can truly say I know the meaning of heartache, it really does hurt; it’s a physical pain.”

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I see way more cars and lorries driven by idiots over bikes being ridden irresponsibly to be honest, On a bike you have a much higher risk of serious injury as it is. I drive 100s of miles a week and I see it all the time, erratic lane change, the morons who leave the motorway at the last second crossing 3 lanes ..no indicators ..over the chevrons etc... I saw some one reversing up a duel carriage way last week rather than continue 2 miles to the next jcn... People just seem to be so selfishstupid its beyond a joke, I'm going for my bike license and I know the risks I see it every day, but I wont be pushing that speed on 2 wheels on a road, save it for the track! I hope the family can eventually find some peace.

Oh, and for all the bigoted car drivers who call themselves law abiding road users, read this article and you'll realise you're not quite as good a road user as you may like to think you are. It certainly opened my eyes (bad pun)
http:www.londoncyclist.co.ukraf-pilot-teach-cyclists

so sad, God always takes the best first I believe. I couldn't even begin to imagine what it is like to loose a sonchild. And I hope people watch this and learn. I know I have and will deffinatly take notice and be more careful from now on God bless you and your family xxx

well said my biker brother.....i agree with you 100.......its somthing we are all pasionate about the love for motorcycles.....however my heart and symphaty goes out to my fellow fallen comrade. john....rip...my brother

My heartfelt sympathy to all concerned, minutes after watching this video, I was driving along a 4 lane carriageway, A27M27, correctly positioned in lane 3 heading west, when I spotted an erratic motorcyclist under and over taking at speed, this seems to be the norm for a majority of ms, why oh why should we the law abiding attentive drivers be the responsible road user who always has to think BIKE, sorry, but you must take responsibility for you own actions, and not rely on us to keep you alive, I guess I am going to get load of abuse from this, but that will rest my case if I do. Finally, to mum, and all mums out there who have lost their beloved, my deepest sympathy to you all.

I would just like to say this video is extremely hard to watch as i actually had the pleasure of knowing David but i fully support the reasons why his family have let this video be able to be seen by the public i just hope that it makes people more aware of bikers and there safety and i hope it stops us from losing any more great guys like David he was a true friend and inspiration to us all and he will live on in our memory's

Having been a biker for 20 years and have had accidents along the way, this shows how quickly your life can be lost. Blame will not bring Richard back or make everyone involved feel any the less heartbroken, but I hope people learn and understand that life can be gone in literally 1 second. All motorists and riders THINK! My thoughts and condolences to all involved. X

This is very sad for both family's concerned. As a driver and rider I must say I have seen far more bad drivers than riders, has anyone seen Ipswich Bad Drivers on YouTube! However if our dear government are serious about reducing road deaths ect, why oh why are all cars and bikes not fitted with restrictors. Simple. Could it be pressure from motor manufacturers not to do it for fear of a sales slump me thinks!

As I've already commented. The family are very brave t orelease this video and I hope it makes drivers and bikes alike think. I did hear on the new that the car driver was found guilty for driving without due care and attention ????? How in h*lls name can you judge the speed of a bike traveling nearly twice the limit towards.. HeShe is not guilty, this person has to live with the accident as it is.

A tragic consequence of living life in the fast lane. Forget your "think bike" hash tags, motorbikes needs to be speed limited. (For you bikers, I quite agree about cars having similar!) This is the problem, its not the pure acceleration (say 0-40mph or 0-60mph) or the two wheels, but how quick you get beyond the speed limit where it becomes more difficult to keep control, especially with other road users. This was a drug to this poor soul, the adrenaline rush... in all honesty if I had a motorbike I would have done exactly the same! -------------- No one is disputing the biker being to blame but the car was clearly also to blame hence he was prosecuted for death by dangerous driving - he didn't bother looking when he didn't have the right of way and caused a fatality. His lenient sentence reflects the excessive speed by the biker as the significant factor to the fatality. After all, you can't just pull out to get somewhere quickly, especially on an A road, you have to wait in the road until its safe to cross the other lane(s). -------------- What the video on here didn't show was the extended footage I seen (pre-incident) of this biker weaving in and out of traffic, and going over central hatchings quite frequently. Like I said I would have done completely the same and as a biker you get the adrenaline rush clouding your judgement something you get far less in a car at sub 100mph speeds. The slow width of the vehicle compared to a car makes you less patient when you know you can get past. A sad waste of life, its of some comfort he died doing something he passionately enjoyed and all credit to his family for releasing the video to help save lives.. very amicable. -------------- A rule of thumb for everyone... Biker, Driver... no matter who you are, its unlikely to be you who causes a crash but some other bad road driver. Whether its an elderly driver with poor eye sight and slow reaction speeds, young drivers with little experience, the small percentage of women drivers that give the rest an unfair name, someone falling asleep at the wheel, someone under the influence of drink or drugs, a speeding emergency services vehicle, or even someone losing control of their vehicle due to a heart attack etc. As a competent road users you need to look out for those less competent!

Three more things to think about:
1) Time of day - oncoming dusk- some cars with lights on. This (and the hour after dawn) is the most dangerous time - people think they can see, but they can't. A good time to take a break from driving.
2) The car David overtook was way over to the left, inviting him to overtake coming up to the junction. Not helpful, in practice. Overtaking wider, in another lane, makes you more visible.
3) Pedal cycles are even harder to judge the speed of, and also more likely to be surprisingly fast or slow. Both cyclists and drivers should take that into account.
Take care !

Very sad but bikers need to be more respectful of the road, I had two overtake me today and nearly cause accidents. Bikes are not the problem it is the riders that show total lack of respect for the road and other users.

From Salt Lake City, Utah, USA: I ride a Suzuki Boulevard C50T. The attached photo was taken when I stopped to calm down after being passed by three bullet bikes going so fast I didn't even see them in my mirrors; I didn't know they were there until each whizzed past me. This was on a winding mountain road in Utah with blind corners. I was going just above the speed limit, but these bikes passed me as if I was standing still. I agree with several posters that highly-vulnerable bikers are just as responsible for road safety as are drivers. There is no excuse for this young man's death; he was going way too fast—at an intersection with on-coming vehicles!—leaving no time to react. My heart goes out to his family and I appreciate his mother's decision to publish the video documenting her beloved son's untimely, but self-imposed, death. I feel, too, for the driver of the car and his family. Unless a biker is on a closed track, there is no reason to travel at such speeds and doing so is a highly selfish act with no respect whatsoever for the lives of others.

Rest In Peace, to the poor soul, a loved son. I myself, hate the idea of motorbikes. 3 times I've encountered accidents on them in my life, all 56 years of them. I see bikers, some really insane, some really sensible, doesn't matter, they are ALL exposed to the elements, whereas in a car, lorry, 4 walls surround you and you have a fighting chance of survival. Everyone is their own entity in their own right. But sometimes, our own stupidity does take over, now and again. Fortunately, most get away with 'a close shave?' Not so this time! Accidents are called as such, YES, think bike, think biker, as we ALL know, but, at 100 MPH, no-one can judge that speed when it's coming at you. Everyone makes mistakes, we are only human. I am sad to say, this won't change the way bikers ride. Bikers should be made to be aware, undertaking on A, and M, roads IS a driving offence! Cars aren't allowed to do it, so why should bikers be allowed??
100 MPH, on an A road??? A blind motorist? Speed does kill! We ALL know this.
Again, my sympathies to all involved in this incident.

You have hit the nail on the head, how many people have there eyes tested regularly? Not many because they are afraid that license will be revoked, I see many people stopped at junctions for mush longer than needed because they are not able to judge oncoming speeds due to poor eyesight.

"..it is hard to judge the speed of a vehicle coming towards you.."........If this is the case then you should NOT take a chance and pull out into its path. Just wait a few seconds and let it go past. I'm a two-wheeler and I see this every day! Car drivers too impatient to wait and willing to chance it...:(

"..it is hard to judge the speed of a vehicle coming towards you.."........If this is the case then you should NOT take a chance and pull out into its path. Just wait a few seconds and let it go past. I'm a two-wheeler and I see this every day! Car drivers too impatient to wait and willing to chance it...:(

To all of those condemning the rider for exceeding the speed limit I would ask, what is the average speed of traffic in that area? If it's anything like were I ride and drive (Los Angeles,CA), the average speed is some 20 miles over the "limit" and if you don't keep up you are endangering your life. I don't know, maybe all car drivers in England are perfect at driving the speed limit, but I wouldn't want to be a biker on a road with cars tailgating me and swerving around me because I couldn't keep up.

You should not be on the road if you think its clever to ride round on full beam. if they don't see you on dipped they are not looking anyway and the rest of us bikers have to suffer the glare of your lights in our mirrors

actually this was fully 5050 no one knows if the driver didn't see him because he was going so fast or not. ignoring that all bikers that speed way over the limit should never be on the roads anyway the don't deserve to ride a bike and disgust me. bikes can and do kill people in and out of cars and bikers suck if they think their fun is more important than everyone else's lives. I don't drive a car I ride a bike btw if you want to race goto a track. i have never turned without looking maybe he didn't look long enough. in the video by the time i saw a car there was no way he could have missed it at that speed

The problem is though that a LOT of people see this video and don't blame the car driver. I went out with a biker for a very short while and he drove at over 120 mph. Yes the driver should have seen the bike but had he been not going at 40mph over the speed limit then he may have been able to tell his own story rather than the camera doing it xx

a car driver is in a metal box and they are not responsible for my safety I am so I ride like they are trying to kill me.
97mph is 4 bus lengths per second and means you have zero chance of swerving stopping or using your horn for all the good that would do anyway. at that speed even if the driver looked didn't see him then paused for a couple of seconds the bike would have been there.
Speeding on a motorbike is not cool because bikes can cause serious harm to anyone car or on foot in the event of me having a off. I hate bikers that speed because I have a gf and kid and don't want people using the road as a track just because they think its ok
at 60mph I would be slowing down and covering my brakes coming to that junction with the car in sight. everyone is different a lot of bikers speed and get away with it so they are lucky

Awful awful footage. Car driver's-Yep think bike! Bikers-Think car drivers and other road users! (I'm BOTH!) Can't think why the driver wouldn't see the bike-open, clear road. Biker-chevrons painted RED to indicate DANGER-ie junction. Riding like that up to junctions gives you a REAL good chance of that happening. Look at the front end of the car what high velocity of a bike can do! He was overtaking cars less than a car door width away-He could have touched a cats eyewhite line, lost control and wiped a family out. His mum is a fantastic person. Sad for her and her family, but fantastic strength and humanity to release the film to hopefully help stop this waste.

Clearly the motorcyclist is to blame here far more than the driver of the car. You simply DO NOT break speed limits irrespective of what mode of transport you are driving.
I see it so many times on the road where motorcyclists tear around other cars breaking speed limits thinking they are an exception to the rule.
The driver of the car clearly took hisher eye of off the road before they had cleared the danger. This I see all too often from lazy drivers who are either too abscent minded to keep their concentration on the road or they haven't the good sense to stay alert.
Bike riders are another huge culprit of blame on the roads. Many of them ride with complete abandonment of road rules and expect other drivers to compensate.
The driver of the car had such little time to react to a speeding motorcyclist despite but for the life of me, why do motorcyclists feel they are invincible on the roads?

So tragic and so very sad. I am a biker and can't help thinking he must have had a moment of madness travelling on what was probably a familiar road at such speeds. A roads with junctions need extra care. I have also worked in A&E for over 30 years and know that bike + car at lower speed = a fighting chance. You have to have some sympathy for the car driver. Yes heshe also had a moment of madness but I'm sure didn't expect an oncoming bike at such speed. My thoughts are with his family.

Truly shocking video.
Tragedy, poor rider and driver.
Energy = ½mv².
He was doing 97mph in a 60mph zone.
That's 1.62x speed limit.
He had 2.613x the kinetic energy he'd have had if he was riding at 60mph and covered 1.62x the distance in 1 second. 44 metres in 1 second c.f. 27metres.
Going "just a bit over the speed limit" substantially lowers you reaction distance, other peoples reaction distance, and gives you 0.5xMassx(2xVxdV + dV² ) extra energy to absorb either through the car or through the rider.
It's not directly proportional, it's a product of the square.
Slow down people. Drive ride carefully.

It's a completely tragic collision and I feel for all involved. There are lot of contributing factors you could say what if' to all day. Collisions happen for many reasons speed, due care and attention, road condition, weather conditions vehicle conditions etc etc. it's quite simple to lay blame on David and the clio driver if David had travelled at the speed limit from when his journey commenced he probably would never have met the clio at the junction . If the clio driver was paying more attention he may have seen David. The fact are that David was travelling at excess speed and the clio driver didn't see David. The collision happened watch the video take note and remember that you are not the only vehicle on the road. Don't think bike. Every driverrider THINK EVERY SINGLE VEHICLE YOU WILL ENCOUNTER WHILST DRIVING RIDING.

In response to Why is there a campaign for car drivers to think bike yet not one for riders to think car or even to think of themselves? There is a campaign it's called shiny side up, it's not a very widespread campaign because there isn't much funding for it. But it is there, iits there to try and get riders to think about their speed and the way the drive. Shiny side up meaning keep the rubber on the ground and the tank towards the sky . It's not that there isn't a campaign it's just that it's not very big at the moment

So tragic and so very sad. I am a biker and can't help thinking he must have had a moment of madness travelling on what was probably a familiar road at such speeds. A roads with junctions need extra care. I have also worked in A&E for over 30 years and know that bike + car at lower speed = a fighting chance. You have to have some sympathy for the car driver. Yes heshe also had a moment of madness but I'm sure didn't expect an oncoming bike at such speed. My thoughts are with his family.

From New Zealand, to the David's family. In our native Maori language: Kia ora, Kia kaha, Arohanui. Translation: Hello, good wishes, strength and love.
I have been riding for over twenty years and today, I serve with The Patriots, DFMC (defence force motorcycle club).
There have been a number of advances in technology, over the years. Things to make us safer, mechanically. The one thing that really needs to change in this world, is individual accountability. ALL road users, please, YOU are responsible for your actions. YOU take the time for a second look. YOU prepare to slow, rather than go. YOU be safe, by being seen and turn your lights, ALL hours, daynight. DO NOT trust that you have been seen.
Do these things at an individual level and we might all be a little safer.
Kia ora, thank you. STAY UPRIGHT!

Driving at nearly 40mph over the speed limit? Whilst it's very sad for his family, If a car driver had done that and suffered the same fate there would be widespread condemnation of their actions. There seems to be a very strong pro-motorbike bias in this country. As other people have said, why is it Think Bike and not Think Car? What if he had hit a pedestrian travelling at that speed? There would have been no way he could have stopped in time.

im sorry but he was speeding in the video he overtook two cars and another motorcyclist ,the car driver should not of been done ,as he would not been able too judge the speed at 100mph he could of looked seen nothing and turned ,we are taught as motorcyclists too use defensive riding this wasnt defensive this was stupidity and a waste of a life ,you can clearly see him wrong side of the road over taking at mad speeds and driving aggresive

Wow! That was one video that has left it's mark on me, I am a biker myself so I understand the rush you get from riding fast.
Although David was riding at speed he was on his side of the road with nothing in front or behind him so no excuse for not seing him or him being hidden by another vehicle.
I was riding at 60mph in a 60 zone a car pulled out right across me and as I past the car with my back wheel locked up the driver had no idea I was there even though I past very close to car, and why! Because they were talking to passenger.

I find it so sad that a man of the same age as me, and I can only imagine the same family commitments has tragically been killed on the road. Yet I feel as though he is not the victim here, and the car driver is!! Riders like David give bikers a bad name, he was irresponsible!!
To be fully aware and to have fully observed all of the road the driver of the car needs to have looked in more than one direction and at the speed David was travelling it is not inconceivable that for a split second the driver of the car was OBSERVING elsewhere when 142 feet per second where traveled. Just think about how far that is..... In the blink of am eye. I'm sure that the driver claimed they were at fault, I'm sure that at that moment they felt like they were, but really 142 feet a second.........

Also, it seemed David knew the roads there so he would know the junction was there and that the filter lane had a car in it, he should have slowed to as the road marking said to and the whole incident could have been avoided.
I've watched the video a few times and you don't see the car until the biker is about 50-75 yards from him, from the car drivers pov I don't see that the driver was to blame as by then the driver is looking at the road they are turning into.

Sorry for the family but that really was the riders fault. i am a rider and i watched that video. i saw the car move to turn right. i would have slowed down. fact. i drive aswell as ride and i have dropped it more than once. i promote the think bike campaign as do all my family but the rider needs to ride safe and be aware of his her surroundings.

As a car driver with no points in 40 years, a motorcyclist and a cyclist there's one thing I know without question. I have kept safe by one rule. Whatever mode of transport I am in charge of, I ALWAYS expect everyone else on the road to be complete idiots and thereby ready myself to react accordingly. At 100mph there would be no time to react. At 38 years of age this motorcyclist should have know better. Racetracks are the place to challenge both your own capabilities and those of your bike car.

I have been riding motorcycles on British roads since my sixteenth birthday way back in 1976 and had a very similar accident to this in 1978. Fortunately an accident I survived but I suffered serious injuries.
The driver of the car that I hit didn't see me and before anyone asks, I was traveling within the speed limit.
I still ride motorbikes and drive a car as well and I believe that I am an observant driver, which sadly the car driver in this video and many others are not. So I take my hat off to the family for releasing this video, because if it shocks some of the less observant drivers into paying a little more attention and saves just one life, it will be worth it.
Speed may have killed in this instance, but lack of driver attention, would most certainly have resulted in very serious injury had the motorcyclist been sticking to the speed limit.
I know, I've been there!

Yes, Theresa Hoare, most people immediately assume it's the bikers fault, and it's only when you SEE video like this, can you understand what sort of crap we bikers have to put up with, especially with so many distractions inside cars these days. Mobile phone use should be a ban-able offence, not just 3 points.

Yes it is hard to judge the speed of an oncoming vehicle, which is why you have to take the time to look again and assess it properly, not turn right hoping it will all be OK, If the rider had been doing the legal limit, the car would have still hit him, you retard.

this is a tragic case mainly because had david stuck to the speed limit he would never had reached that junction at the same time as that car, and even if he had hit another car that didn't see him he would have stood a greater chance of survival, obviously there is blame on both parts one caused the impact and davids speed made it far worse drivers need to make sure they look and bikers need to ride responsibly
a terrible outcome

At last someone with a sensible comment.
If we look at the driver of the car and their comments that what they did not see. As a psychiatric nurse I would like to point out that they had to be clearly traumatised by the impact as anyone would be. The driver may have no recollection at this time and the few seconds of missing memory may take months or years for it to raise its head to what we all know as PTSD causing flash backs of the incident.
If only the rider was travelling at a sensible speed then we may not be having this conversation today.

A tragic waste of life and I don't want to detract from that as it was a brave thing for the family to release this video but why is there so much car-bike hate. In this case clearly both were at fault with tragic consequences for BOTH. Yes the car driver admitted not having seen the bike but as the speed of that bike was just under 100mph that's hardly surprising - 97mph is 142 feet per second! As a car driver having to drive narrow roads daily I am constantly aware of bikes, all too often because I approach a bend and they are on my side of the road overtaking towards me causing me to brake sharply or mount the verge while they seemingly see nothing wrong in their manoeuvre. Why is there a campaign for car drivers to think bike yet not one for riders to think car or even to think of themselves, are they somehow absolved of responsibility for road safety and consideration of other drivers? ALL road users should take responsibility for themselves and others as road rules apply to everyone, road markings, speed limits, safe overtaking etc but it seems too many people think they know better and can safely drive or ride outside of those rules and until that attitude changes incidents like this will sadly continue to happen. Will people's attitudes change - I hope so but sadly I doubt it as it's not human nature, we all seem to think things that happen to others will never happen to us, but sometimes they actually do but by then it's too late.

If he hadn't been doing more than 1 and half times the speed limit on the road the drivers would have had longer to spot him coming and he would have had more time to stop if indeed the driver were being just inattentive, I suggest the main fault here is someone speeding, everything else is speculative coincidence!!!

I agree with you Sam L . As soon as you disrespect the rules of the road any consequence of that action should be yours. I probably would have seen what was going on at that junction if I was driving, but I drive 10 hours a day and am an experienceed driver. I wouldn't expect a new driver or someone who has the minimum driving skill it takes to pass the driving test, to think `what if that bike is going double the speed limmit, .`
This is a good way to slow motorcycles down just as much as much as driver awareness of them. I don't understand why its not advertised as this...
Chris. (A nutral driver and a biker)

If i fired a bullet from a gun, would you try to run past its intended target? but then would you be so stupid to fire a bullet from a gun where somebody could run past it. Terrible shame for poth parties, but it was just a matter if not now, then it would be soon.
Well done to the mother for releasing this video, Please learn from it.

What an awful tragedy and what a horrible video to watch? A few seconds carelessness by both parties and a life is lost and other peoples lives ruined by heartache for ever. What shocks me in the video is they way it all happens so casually. The car driver was obviously not paying sufficient attention to the task in hand - he did not misjudge the speed of the motorcycle, he apparently did not even see it. And the motorcyclist appears overly confident and relaxed for the speed he was travelling. I think this is evidenced by the way he takes his left hand off the handlebar after he passes the silver car, presumably to politely acknowledge the driver for moving to the left and letting him past. All too casual, in my opinion, for 97mph on a busy single carriageway road with junctions like that.

@jps. That's nonsense , had he not been travelling at 97mph and slowed down for the junction , the driver would have seen him , and the biker would have had time to react , the blame lays squarely with the biker , however the car driver should have been more awake . Had the vehicles been the other way around and the car was travelling at 97mph Dow that road over the cross hatchlings. Who would you blame then ?

This guy was doing 100mph on a public road and the car driver is getting most of the blame?? You must be kidding. Had a car been doing 100 no doubt they'd take the blame, but bikes are different for some reason.
Very sad this rider lost his life and hopefully others will learn something from it. Cut your speed and you increase your chances of taking evasive action. I've seen many times how fast motorcyclists travel at, and it's shocking how quickly they can arrive on top of you.

If you do as you say and pause the video you are correct the driver does look to be at fault, but pause it three or even two seconds earlier and can you even see the vehicle in the distance clearly and in that case could the car have seen the bike clearly also, it's a tragic accident with both parties at fault and no one wins, speed kills and so does lack of awareness as this incident proves, there's blame on both parties I think but it goes to prove speed limits are there for a reason even though we all complain about them

Over 60% of motorcycle deaths are caused by car drivers. Living in a capital city I've experienced cars pulling out in front of me soooo many times. Now I always drive with full beam on my headlight. Now and then someone flashes me to tell me. That means they've seen me.... And yes, he was driving too fast, MUCH too fast...

Ive read all the comments and I think I can add another dimension to the way we think about this collision. I have done two defensive driving courses and a lot of driving on race tracks. From this you could assume that maybe I am a fairly alert driver? I was turning right from a main into a side road one day and my vision of the road ahead was partially restricted (unlike the car driver mentioned) but I could see quite a way ahead. I thought to myself that someone would have to be doing well over 90mph to compromise my decision. GUESS WHAT? A motorcycle came round the bend doing an estimated 95. Luckily I was already half way across his lane and hit the gas hard. He just managed to get past my rear wing.. I love speed but I am constantly thinking about the danger it creates. I often think that if something goes wrong (and it is so easy to go wrong) that at least I don't harm someone else

There's a lot of ill-informed comments here. There can be little doubt that the biker was the architect of his own destruction, who through his wanton disregard for the laws of the road and excessive speeding guaranteed that the Laws of physics would do more than enough. At 62% over the speed-limit, the braking distance would have been 2.6 times that required at the speed-limit (perfect conditions).
But there's more: Estimating the speed of a small, rapidly-approaching object is extremely difficult and the reasons include the physical structure that is limited by the structure of the eye.
Blaming the motorist is not fair in this case. They may be culpable to some degree (I just don't know), but the nature of driving is that drivers are all imperfect to some degree and by adhering to the traffic laws greatly reduces the consequences of a mistake. However, driving or riding like a lunatic is illegal and it's illegal for a reason, it endangers the rest of us.
As a parent, I grieve for his parents, but I cannot avoid feeling that the roads are safer for the rest of us, without their son.

Everybody knows that there are bad drivers on the road, we (who drive) will all be guilty at some point of making a mistake (at whatever level) whilst driving, it's inevitable. As a biker, you run the risk of meeting such bad drivers everyday. I can't help but think that a lot of blame has been pointed at the driver of the car (who was not speeding, just a simple lapse of concentration and we all have them), if the biker was riding at the correct speed limit then he would still be alive today, end of!
It frustrates the hell out of me that bikers who think they are the gods of the roads (the bikers who speed, weave in and out of traffic) should be sympathised with especially when one of their own get killed.
This is a very sad ending to what looks like a really nice chap but dear god, give the poor car drivers a chance to give you bikers a chance to survive, reduce your speed!

As speed increases, stopping distance increases at a seemingly disproportionate amount. For example, let’s say you’re going 20 mph (32 kph), it takes you 20 feet (6 m) to stop. Now let’s triple your speed to 60 mph (97 kph). Tripling the stopping distance isn’t accurate—in reality, you’ll need more than 180 feet (55 m) to stop. Simply the faster you go the more distance you need to stop and the time you have to react is not nearly enough to avoid a collision.
97mph is 142 feet per second, so 2 seconds before that collision the bike was almost 300ft down the road, which for any driver would be ample distance to consider crossing the oncoming carriageway. Is it careless therefore to have expected the bike to be travelling at the speed limit and cross accordingly? you can not judge the speed of an approaching vehicle accurately and perhaps the driver should have waited to be sure. It's true the driver did state they did not see the bike, but it's also true that the speed the biker was going was a factor in a collision when they can cover a distance of 300 ft in two seconds.
My view is the bike should have been slower and the car driver should have waited but then if that was the case would this discussion be taking place at all? Both parties suffered because of the facts that a biker drive too fast and a driver carried out a manoeuvre which will forever have consequences for the families involved. You may say at least the driver still had a life but this will probably haunt them until their dying day, the same as the family of the deceased. In my view bikers should slow down and cars drivers should be more alert. Is there one more at fault than the other? I think that it took both parties to err, but I think the distance covered due to the speed of the bike was a major factor as reaction time is not 0.1 of a second and even if it was, could this have been avoided at that kind of speed or would it have been a matter of time before speed killed the biker. If a car going at 97 mph hit a turning vehicle would the comments blaming the turning driver be the same or would the blame be on the speeding car?

A very courageous family and I’m very sorry for your loss, I’m sadden to read some of the comments blaming the biker for his speed and people commenting as if they are ‘saints of the road’ and never travel above the speed limit, What if it had been a police rider or paramedic dispatch rider Would the circumstances or opinions be different?
I’ve had this type of thing happen to me at 30mph, I was once knocked off my very large BMW K1100 LT at traffic lights whilst stationery for goodness sake by an old chap pulling out of a side road who claimed he didn’t see me!! Some car drivers are easily distracted or sometimes just plain selfish.
The message is simple: bikers ‘SLOW DOWN’ and car drivers ‘THINK BIKE’

Maybe if the bike was visible and the driver could see him, maybe if the bike was ridden safely, maybe if the speed was slower, maybe both could have taken action and just maybe STILL alive. many many maybe's....Bikers read and learn.

I think that the driver of the car was partly to blame BUT should have been ruled accidental death.
The driver didn’t see the bike but this is difficult when a bike is coming towards you at 100mph and all in black. You see the signs on the roads “Think Bike” “Think Safety” but this should also apply to bikes themselves, they know that it’s harder to see bikes, they ALL know about “SMIDSY”...so they should take action to avoid being put in these situations like slowing down to a reasonable speed and within the law & wear Hi-Vis clothing.
Look at the video the bike is overtaking on broken chevrons coming up to a junction which you should not enter this area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so, was it safe and necessary? NO. Was it necessary to ride in an unsafe manner? NO. Was it necessary to ride at 100mph? NO. Was it necessary to put other lives at risk? NO. And was it necessary to ride at that speed ONE handed? NO.
I do believe if he had been going below the speed limit he may still be alive, to start with he would not have been at that place at that time and could have taken action to slow or stop.
WHEN WILL BIKERS EVER LEARN.....?

It wasn't an 'accident'. It was a 'collision' [an RTC] and entirely the fault of the motorcyclist driving at a reckless speed. I do not think that it was fair to prosecute the driver of the car. If the motorcyclist was travelling at 100mph he would have been 340 yards away 7 seconds before the impact. If he had been travelling at 60mph he would have still have been nearly 200 yards away from the junction after 7 seconds and the car would have had a further 4.5 seconds to clear the junction. That said, I was a motorcyclist in my teens and learnt a healthy respect for other road users, not least being prepared for another vehicle to do something unexpected. The slogan 'Look once, look twice, look bike' used to be shown on TV regularly at one time and perhaps this old ad should be brought back.

He was riding at close to twice the speed limit. He was passing cars on the same lane. It is illegal in most countries. The road is designed for commuting, not racing.
I just don't see how the driver in that car can ever see the bike coming at 97mph. It's not like the car T-boned the bike. In the video the car was making a slow turn.
If you watch the video carefully, you can count that the last car from the coming traffic was at least 15 seconds away from the turning car. 15 seconds is pretty of time even for a truck going at 80mph to stop before hitting the turning car.
How is it fair for the mother to sound like the car driver had to take some responsibility?!! The only person she can blame is her own son.

Condolences to all familys affected. Bottom line is had the biker been doing the speed limit I think the sad result would have been the same. all modern bikes have lights on all the time so for that driver to do that despicable manoeuvre is extremely bad driving. and for the driver to not see the car behind the bike also.....well should this person actually be driving???? And the punishment for the driver... A travesty of justice. I am a biker and have had hundreds of near misses from bad driving, now I always wear a camera for exactly this reason :-(.... Very sad RIP young man.

i do feel sorry for his family, everyone is trying to say it was because he was speeding, well i was doing 30mph at 11.15 am on a suzuki bandit and it had 3000 miles on it and my headlights where on, a woman driver pulled out of her daughters driveway and she came from the righthand side of the road,she hit me then i hit the kerb,thrown in the air and i hit the lamppost with my head and hit and moved a skip, Its been to court and all she got was £!50 fine £75 costs and 5 penalty points, 2 yrs later and i have a brain injury , lost part of my right hand and my right hip is in peices and they cant put a new one in as it will kill me, my point is its cost her £225 for what she has done to me,they cant beleive i am alive as they had it as a fatality,the law should change so if they pull out without looking they get a stiffer sentence

As a biker who got hit by a car turning across my lane and "not seeing" the large blue bike with the lights on and the reflective gear, I can only be grateful that we were in a 30mph limit and I survived, albeit to spend 3 years in a wheelchair before the 15th operation finally allowed me to walk again. My heart goes out to his family and I am in awe of their courage in allowing this video to be made public in an effort to save others from the same fate.

A proactive driver would have looked for the motorcyclist, a proactive motorcyclist would have been travelling slower and anticipated the junction. They're both equally to blame. Reactive drivers concentrate on the NOW and when a problem occur's they react to it but they do not look out for the signs that a problem may be imminent, they can't anticipate a potentially dangerous situation. Reactive drivers are the cancer of British roads.

I watched video several times to try to find who was at fault and i have to say driving at 100 miles an hour on that type of road would have been the motor cyclist fault the bike would have been on top of him before he had a chance to see him never mind use avoidance and I am not prejudice either way because I ride both forms of transport I am sorry that someone died as a result

How didn't the driver see the motorcycle or the car behind it? Where was she looking at?
Was it a man or a woman?
The way the car rolled in, very smoothly but not stoping, seems a lot like women's driving. She must have been talking to someone and not paying attention to the road, at all. Typical women's driving, happens a lot.
Of course David was riding too fast for the road conditions, visibility and traffic at the time.
I sometimes think these two types of drivers deserve each other. Women drivers to open their eyes while driving. Guys to smooth down a bit their speed when amongst traffic.
Tragic event... but I believe in the afterlives.
They will both learn the lesson... and they are OK.

I'm sorry but if your willing to drive at 100mph on a main road on a motorbike your asking for trouble. I can't imagine the pain his mother is going through but I feel sorry for the car driver thinking of what they have to go through, re-living that moment must be traumatic. Everyone says 'think bike' I'm sorry but the rider should be thinking 'think speed limit'!! If he wasn't breaking the speed limit then he would still be alive today. The car driver says he didn't see the bike, well I'm not suprised travelling at that speed! The rider is at fault for this accident and plenty of people agree with me.

This was not an accident. It was wreckless driving that resulted in David's death. Be very clear this was not David's fault in any way the death of David lies squarely at the feet of the car driver. David May have been traveling at 97mph but as other have commented it would not have mattered to the car driver if David was doing 40mph he would have made the same decision not to look to be wreckless and to endanger David. If the speed was less then maybe David would have lived maybe he would have had severe injury instead. The point is if someone had killed David outside of a car without intention but as a result of their actions we call it manslaughter. If they don't die possibly if David was going slower we would call it GBH...this is the fault of the driver pure and simple and we need to do much more to test people and make sure they are actually capable of operating the car safely. I have both sports cars and motorbike. Until you ride a bike as a car driver you are unaware. Please at every junction take a second to look and think bike

Rider was going too fast, and the driver was not paying sufficient attention. The devastating consequences are here for all to see.I rode bikes for over 30 years, now I 'm a copper in Australia and this sort of stuff is seen by emergency service personnel all too often. These people have to live with the aftermath of countless number of crashes witnessed many times during a career. It's not an accident, it's an incident - something that could have been foreseen and prevented. The family are courageous in releasing this.

I've been a biker for over 40 years and I've lost count of the number of cars that have pulled out in front of me that I've had to avoid. Luckily I've been successful although I do admit to kicking many of the car doors and leaving a nice dent in doing so. Hope they threw the book at this idiot car driver because there are far too many of them on the road and they present the greatest danger to bikers. Speed can kill a biker but only if he stops unexpectedly and abruptly.

Why is it ppl think that car drivers need to think more about bikes? Several times iv had motorbikes overtake me when it hasn't been safe too and in result iv had to slam my breaks on as I would of knocked them off as they pull straight in front on you! I'm not saying it's all bikes but it annoys me how all these campaigns are think bike what about think car for all you bike riders???

As a car & truck driver, cyclist, horse rider and ex-biker, I "think bike", think cyclists and think horse-riders. No matter though, how much care one takes, having others driving or riding at 97 mph on the A47 is quite frankly criminally reckless and shows a flagrant disregard of the lives of others.

Watching the Video it's easy to say who is to blame car bike maybe a squirrel,in the tree , truth is it's an accident and I wouldn't like to put that to someone , here is a truth , in 1995 April 6th at 1404 I was travelling at 58 mph in a wide 40 zone. ,On a bend I hit a car pulling out of a side rd he was turning right crossing my lane , this junction was a no right turn( you with me so far ? ) I collide with this car hitting it in the drivers side door, I admitted speeding and was fully legal, I got 18 months,Retake test ban for 3 years for causing death by Dangerous driving, that was 19 and a half years ago. To this day and can still smell rubber,still see Mr John Smith sitting in his car with his tweed jacket with elbow patches, work shoes and Overall pants on , his glasses on the passenger side floor , my point is IT NEVER EVER GOES AWAY and I wouldn't wish my memory on anyone and I hope none knows what it's like to have them, looking back I was speeding, he did turn out of a no right turn on a blind bend ,Does it matter there dead and like so many I wish I could go back in time ,truth is we can't and every action has a result so it's easy to say he's to blame or there to blame truth is there both to blame and I symphacise with every one involved, ride safe ride within your boundaries a little thought can go a long way ,look out for bikes we all speed ,

I'm so sorry for your lost, we truely understand yr pain, and feel for you it's coming up to two years in October since my brother terry was also killed on his motorbike, he was 45 left 7 children, mother father, grandchildren, sister, brother, niece, grandson u name he was it all like yr David he was a top bloke and missed so very much, so awareness for motorbike needs to be made, we both know how it feels to lose someon this way, hardest way ever, you be in my prays my god bless u all. Love tammy xxx

Colin Dodd - what utter tripe - you clearly have no idea what you are talking about and make yourself sound stupid - due to low mass at 100mph an average bike can stop in HALF the distance of a car I said AVERAGE because bike with better tyres and brakes will better that

SHOULD THE DAY OF DAVIDS ACCIDENT TURNED INTO A NATIONAL SPEED AWARENESS DAY ?
a day where ALL road users take a minute - one extra second for an extra check - one extra foot from the vehicle in front - leaving one minute earlier - driving 5 mph below the speed limit .....if this would be in any way possible - maybe on that day the next David still return to his family & the next motorist wouldn't have to bare this tragic burden .

Much has already said that I agree with here. I applaud David's mother for her courage in allowing the video to be release and I do sincerely hope it serves as a lesson.
I am a biker and all too many times cars pull out infront of me and do other dangerous things because of their inability to be aware of their surroundings.
No one can deny David was riding too fast, or that seeing the junction with a car in the filter lane, that he should at least have eased off. But I also doubt that at 60mph the accident would have been avoided.
What can also not be denied is the error of the car driver in not paying attention or that, if you look at the video carefully, he turned too early from the filter lane as he was not in the right position to make the right turn anyway, which is why it was almost a front on collision.
I feel so sorry for Davids family and friends and hope that this brave act by David's mother does save someones life at some point, by causing them to think about how they ridedrive.

I am so sorry for this woman's loss I can't imagine what she feels. But it clearly say the bike rider was going nearly 100mph so how is the car driver in the wrong! If the bike rider wasn't going as fast then the driver may of had mor time to check! This is wrong and the car driver needs to plea his innocence.

My heart goes out to his family, the video isn't to lay blame they were both at fault, its released to make people aware of the dangers to bikers if your not observant, i go pillion passenger with my husband but im also a car driver and ive seen bad riders but we've also had some close shaves from car drivers that either don't look or have purposely gone over the center line to make sure we cant overtake so just Thinkbike

Heartbreaking to watch. I totalled my scooter in the same way a few years ago .... Doing around 25mph in filthy weather and at night. I was wearing high viz clothing and had my lights on, but the van driver who turned across my path 'just didn't see' me. I haven't ridden since.

It was very hard for me to view this video as I too lost my son aged 32 in January 2013. He too was killed in a motor bike accident but the difference was my son was on his way to work that early morning and was travelling at a speed of only 25-30 miles as he was in rush hour traffic, however, the boy in the car like David, said he did not see my son and pulled across the junction giving my son no time to act. My son died at the road side before his family had been informed. The car driver was given community service and lost his licence for 12 months - I and my family however, lost our son forever - I cannot come to terms with this and I admire Davids' mum for sharing this footage. I too now know what hell is like as I go through it every day without my son. So PLEASE take care on the roads and be vigilant for bike riders - if the stop sign says stop then STOP, Look and Look again.

97Mph, if he was going 60 the speed limit, the car would not of hit him, he could of gone around it.
So yes, the drivers fault for not looking, but also Davids fault for speeding 30Mph over the speed limit that everyone else he passed was following
Also, was he doing legal passes on that road with signals? Or do bikers do the usual just pass people with out using signals and proper road respect?

It's a heart wrenching incident but surly most of the problem lies with the speed, people are saying that even though the bike was travelling at a very high speed the car driver should have looked more, what if the biker was going 120mph? What chance would the car driver have of judging how much time he has to make the manoeuvre.

Think Bike, mmm... I think it should be think car, the biker is as much to blame, a bad overtake, forcing a car to move dangerously close to the verge, at this point the car driver will have seen the car in the distance and started to pull out, not noticing the bike, by which time the bike as fasted approached going way to fast.

Firstly .. I've been riding performance bikes on track and road for 30 years.. And to be affected enough by the parents wish to show this incident has really made me want to comment... The lad loved his bikes and probably rode very well.. I bet at times he rode perfectly, at times, I bet like the devil was on his back! Performance bikes do it to us all.. Which is why his accident is so tragic .. The lad didn't give himself an escape plan.. It's a short film clip but you know he's pushing it and in a 50 mph zone you need to have your wits about you... The car negotiated right, the bike would of seen it with plenty of time for adjustment .. I've slowed this clip down and he didn't give any benefit of doubt to the driver not seeing him or not adjusting his road position as there was a plenty of room on his left if he'd doubted the driver not seeing him .. He suffered the cruel effect of fixed attention .. It's happened to us all at Some time and with all thought f..k how close.. Please all riders imagine all cars will knock you off and never ever take drivers actions for granted .. I feel so sad for the lad as it could at one point in my mad days been me. Please please don't take the risk of carrying mental speed with so many obvious risks with traffic. Phil

Thank you to the family for agreeing to release the footage of this terrible accident.
I have been riding a motorcycle and driving a car for over 34 years, have advanced rider qualifications and in this time I have ridden thousands of miles and been involved in 3 accidents, all 3 were the fault of the car driver not looking before pulling out of or into junctions.
Car drivers are far too often oblivious to what is happening outside their little metal cocoon, I have seen women touching up their make up or doing their hair using the rear view mirror, numerous people on mobile phones is a daily occurrence, people reading newspapers or maps that are resting on the steering wheel, drivers looking at the front passenger while talking to them or turning around to shout at the kids in the back!
We need more police presence on the roads, not filling in reams of paperwork but out prosecuting drivers and riders for motoring offences not stupid yellow cameras that only slow down people at the camera site and can't spot defective tyres, headlights or mobile phone users.
Maybe we need to educate drivers more by making the motorcycle compulsory basic training compulsory before you can take you car licence!
A tragic loss to the family but let's hope it raises awareness and saves lives by making drivers and riders think.

I agree speed kills - I feel sorry for both family's - the law is out there to protect us from people speeding it's 60 for a reason.
It's an accident no one got up that morning and thought it would be a good day to kill or to died - it's a tragic accident- we cart keep blaming the other person. let's move on and learn by this unfortunate horrible advent .
Regards k x

amazing loving mother,who its obvious adored her son so much and wanted only that he was happy.true love love,there is no better to be had on this earth.i lost my husband and father to our 4 children in similar way..i will never recover from my loss..every day my wish is to follow him.my love to this amazing unselfish family x

I was a lady biker for many years and I have lost many friends in accidents! Some have been poor judgement by car drivers and some by self fault! I'm saddened by the loss of this young man and admire the courage of his mother allowing this to be made public for awareness ........ But I think that if you choose to risk driving 37 mph over the legal limit , overtaking at every opertunity and not being conscious of slowing down on approach to juntions beggars belief! No he shouldn't be dead but please for gods sake be a safe and sensible biker ... Drive safe give consideration to other road users and stop being wide'os coz this is the outcome!! That poor car driver now has to live the rest of his life with this horrific and terrifying ordeal! RIP David and please be conscious and safe biker!

I am a motorcyclist since I was 17 and have seen many accidents involving bikes. I used to ride fast but after the things I've seen (including a similar accident to this one where the motorcyclist who knew broke both legs, luckily he was only doing 60) I've slowed down alot.
I realise in this situation the driver was at fault but realistically the biker is responsible for the accident because A. He was speeding B. He increased his speed towards the junction and C. towards the junction he began to over take. The most important lesson I learnt from seeing my friend get hit in in same way is that ultimately you can't blame a car driver enough to make for your own death, your already dead and they are just doing what car drivers do. A car driver wouldn't have performed the action which the motorcyclist has done as regularly as motorcyclists do.
Basically motorcyclists should not overtake 'just because they can' without making sure there are no junctions, they shouldn't speed especially when on a road with on coming traffic. Went I see a junction now the first ring I do is brake down to about 40 because of fear of a car doing something stupid which they will inevitably do at some point because humans make mistakes. Bikers should expect a car to pull out at every junction so that they are ready for when when they do. Anyway find it fun to slow right down at junctions because then once they are behind behind you you can accelerate up to speed again after and the acceleration part of biking is more fun then the top speed imo.

About time both cars and bikes were limited to a realistic speed. Why do we need cars that can do 160 and bikes that can do 190+ when the maximum speed limit is 70! - As a biker myself I don't understand the mad ones that go tearing around purely because they can.

This campaign is not to make driver more aware of motorcyclists its about people paying more attention whether your in a car or on a bike! The fact is both are at fault here not a single party! I always try to b very aware of bikes around me but some bikers not all I might add think that because there on a bike we as car users should get out of there way! We as car users should be more aware of bikes but bikes should also b more aware of car users! Just the other day I was right behind a tractor with a fairly large que behind me, I indicated checked my mirror pulled out as did another car behind and a biker decided from the back of the que to pull out and overtake also and I had to dodge him putting me and my family at risk just because he couldn't wait 2 seconds and then had the cheek to blame me for nearly killing him!! Let me guess my fault?? I don't think so just because you think you can get passed doesn't give you the right to do it! Everyone needs to learn from this not just car drivers!!!!

We all need to think more ,bikers included. if we all think " THINK CAR THINK BIKE THINK CAR " and take more care the roads will be safer place. You only need to see it once. Well done for the family for letting people see what can happen . TAKE MORE CARE ON THE ROADS.

guys and gals, pretty much all of you are forgetting that the driver pulled out 2.5 seconds before the bike hit it. If David was going slower that might have been 5 seconds, but even then it is still not enough time to turn, because of reaction times and panicking. Although David was irresponsible for speeding, it was up to the driver of the car to see him

Fault was on both sides, the bike was too fast the car not observant enough therefore an accident no one wanted this. I drive and ride sometimes i ride like that and i have to have a word with myself. I f you ride like that its to get the buzz and you only get the buzz if its on the line that divides safe from dangerous. I feel for all that were involved and i will try to ride safe and drive aware.

This footage has opened a very interesting debate. It's nothing to do with who is to blame! The police have already dealt with that issue. Its a message to both drivers and riders. Drivers need to be diligent and think bike! Riders need to be diligent and think car! We all make mistakes and my heart goes out to David's family and also to the driver! I cannot imagine what it must feel like to live with the knowledge that your actions have taken another persons life! Even if there are mitigating circumstances. The point is to make ALL road users take more care, be diligent and safe! As a driver myself, I for one have got the message loud and clear! I hope others do too.

So Sorry for your loss of a truly loving son who loved speed and the freedom of a motorbike. Which he payed for with his life. No one should have to pay such an high price, we all know to well.... people don't look twice and think bike Why when this is life changing for all...Your son will be so proud of you.

A very powerful video, and admirable for the family to all it to be shown. Some interesting comments. Yes, without a doubt David was going too fast, but that only affected the ultimate result - the accident was caused totally by the car driver. This wasn't some country lane where a driver wouldn't be expecting oncoming traffic, this is a busy, fast road and turning right across the oncoming traffic requires complete concentration. I travel along similar roads regularly, and there are often bikers riding at excessive speeds, but the rule has to be if in doubt, then wait. Is it so bad to wait the extra 10 seconds? 2 families blighted, so very sad.

I'm an ex police officer who learned to drive as part of my job. However, I didn't become a biker until 6 years ago. Whilst training for the test, I couldn't believe the number of car drivers who not only ignored the 2 wheeled road user, but deliberately made life difficult. Overtaking far too close, cutting us up on roundabouts, and - yes - turning in front of us at junctions where we clearly had the right of way.
Once through the test, I found that things certainly didn't improve. Delivery vans and cab drivers in particular seemed to grow a pair of horns as soon as they spotted a biker - whether or not you were doing something wrong! Leaping out in front of you, etc.
I have come to the conclusion that EVERYONE who ever wants to learn to drive a car, should first and foremost, be compelled to learn to ride a motorcycle. Only then, would people start to think how vulnerable are we on 2 wheels. I was always taught that defensive driving was the order of the day. In fact, "treat everyone else on the road as an idiot". Not an easy thing to do. It means 100% concentration, 100% of the time. But if we keep those words in mind when faced with a 'will hewon't he' scenario, we will hopefully come away without death or serious injury.
Condolences to the family. How very brave to allow this heartrending video to be seen. x

A very powerful video, and admirable for the family to all it to be shown. Some interesting comments. Yes, without a doubt David was going too fast, but that only affected the ultimate result - the accident was caused totally by the car driver. This wasn't some country lane where a driver wouldn't be expecting oncoming traffic, this is a busy, fast road and turning right across the oncoming traffic requires complete concentration. I travel along similar roads regularly, and there are often bikers riding at excessive speeds, but the rule has to be if in doubt, then wait. Is it so bad to wait the extra 10 seconds? 2 families blighted, so very sad.

It's a very hard hitting video. Very sad. Yes he was speeding. But 97 mph is not so fast that a competent driver would not notice him. The car driver should not have turned. End of. They should not be driving a car if they can't judge speed of a motorcycle or have the common sense to think. Stop. Wait. He may be speeding. V sad.

Sad, but I had nearly the same situation three years ago. I survived with a double fracture on my upper left leg and needed a hip replacement a year later. After more than three years I was able to walk without crutches. I'm riding bikes all my live never drove a car. Now I'm thinking about it.

One issue that has always concerned me is that bikers on black bikes wearing black leathers and a black helmet are notoriously difficult to notice.
This is why in my youth I always had my headlight on. Not saying that this was the case here, but it is something that needs to be considered when you are out on roads with mottled backgrounds.

No matter what people put online, there will always be a slagging match has to who's fault it is. The main thing here is what can we learn from this, it was very brave of the mother to air the footage of her son's last moments. i myself am a motorcyclist, a car driver and learning to become a driving instructor. Now we can comment all day about who's at fault, the speed, not concentrating, awareness. The fact of the matter is responsibility lays with the driver of any vehicle, to be aware and try to anticipate, to read the road ahead. David R.I.P and to the driver of the car, i hope your torment of the day is not to hard on you. Be SAFE everyone.

I'm a cyclist and I have cars pull out across me like that and in one case I have gone over the bonnet and landed on the side of the road. So regardless of the speed, the message to drivers to be on the lookout for bikes and road users in general.

The poor family I could not believe how brave this is of them, however we hear think bike all the time - of course but think about cars bikers too. 97 mph is far too fast when at junctions and it is very hard to judge speed sometimes so my thoughts are not only with the family of the biker but also the driver of the car too.

I have had licences t o drive cars and motorbikes since 1980. I believe that being a biker makes me a better car driver as it makes me more aware of bikes on the road. It is distressing beyond words to see the video, as in my past I have ridden bikes in that way. However nowadays the roads are too crowded and dangerous to ride in the way this gentleman did on the video.
It can be seen from the video that the rider was riding far too quickly. Apparently the accident happened when he was travelling at over 90 mph on a single carriageway (which would have a limit of 60 mph at the most). It can also be seen that the car driver did not pay attention by turning in front of the bike.
Both rider and driver are at fault, let's not forget that.
If as a result of this article, car (van, lorry, etc) drivers raise their awareness of motorbikes, and bikers (who ride excessively quickly) enjoy their machines at more reasonable speeds, then something good will come of it. It's a pity someone loved by his family and friends had to make the sacrifice for it to happen.

I think this video will make a difference. All those saying that it shouldn't be shown are wrong. Yes ok he was going fast, but you get this alot. You have to think when driving a car, you see a bike coming towards you it may be travelling alot faster than it looks. So just wait!!! I drive alot and come from a family of bikers with alot of friends who have lost close ones because of accidents like this. So fair play to the family allowing this video to be shown. Just take a second to think before pulling out when driving a car!! They do deserve to pay the penalty for causing this accident!!! Hopefully this will make people more aware and to look out for them, not just at junctions!! R.I.P

people can say what they want about him speed but at the end of the day the car turned out in front of him , like honestly how could the driver of the car not see him comin , obviously the car driver wasnt paying much attention to the road and because of that someone lost there life , PAY ATTENTION WHEN DRIVING

I'm sorry LB but I strongly disagree with you. Not once has it mentioned all the fault lies with the driver, and yes his mother did state he was going fast but it's not a blame game they are playing here they are trying to make people more aware of the consequences of your actions, whether you be a driver of a car or a cyclist. Going so fast on a bike does leave you extremely vulnerable to accidents like this and does reduce you reaction time dramatically but that does not excuse the fact that drivers should be looking twice for motorcycles and have 100% concentration when driving a car. Like you have said it does affect the lives of the people involved in the accident and it will haunt them forever, which is not nice but then having to love without a loved one because of an accident like this is much worse in my personal opinion. I fully agree with the family for releasing this video and I completely understand the reasons behind it. Thoughts are with the family xx

LB - your use of the phrase 'poor car driver' suggests they did nothing wrong. The text clearly says " the driver admitted to police in interview that he had not seen David, nor a car behind the motorcycle, prior to the collision" Without the actions of the driver - David would not have been killed. Even if he had been travelling within the speed limit if the driver did the same thing they would still have likely killed him.

I'm sorry but I'm with you LB...it is hard to judge the speed of a vehicle coming towards you...and yes it was the bikers right of way so yes the driver is still in the wrong BUT if the rider had been going at a more road worthy speed the driver would've had more than enough to turn before the rider got to the junction.
I hope other riders learn by his mistakes and slow the hell down :(

@LD:
I'd like to quote this passage from the article: "While David was travelling above the speed limit, a number of other drivers had seen both the motorbike and the other car."
From this I take away that while David's speed was a factor in the severity of the accident and it's unfortunate consequence it was in no way the cause of it. The cause was the driver of the car was inattentive and did not take proper care in scanning the road for approaching traffic, as evidenced by the fact that the other cars in the oncoming lane did not only see David, but also the car he just passed.
Having said that, as a motorcyclist myself, I must add that David's speed was way, way too high for the circumstances. As a non-UK resident I would guess that on a road like that the speed limit would be about 50mph, maybe 60 tops. I would also speed on a road like that, no doubt about it, but skirting 100mph when approaching an intersection is just not a smart thing to do.

Completely agree with you. Awfull for him and his family, but to travel at that speed is ridiculous, and not fair for car drivers to encounter that. If you like speed go on a roller coaster and do not endanger others.

97mph????? On a road with a limit of 60mph is totally irresponsible. All bikes have an inbuilt design fault,,they will go very fast but will not stop. Hardly any tyre on the road, no weight, and , at that speed, little chance of avoiding action. Very sad that a young man lost his life for a moment of adrenalin rush. RIP David, and I hope this video will make someone think twice about speeding in future. Yes, I am an ex biker.

i would like to know that outcome of the driver in the car. it worries me.. as cars and bikes get faster and safer.. people start to think there invisible. Its a shame its take something like this to bring you back to earth.. my heart goes out to both side of this terrible accident., I have views on bikes.. but i think this is not the time nor the place to comment on...

Hi so sorry for the loss of your son im a bike rider my self and have had good friends that have been taken from us on bikes the car test needs to focus more on the motorcycle riders when learning to drive a car

I have to agree. Althogh a terrable tragedy his excessive speed caused the collision. The driver of the car would have had plenty of time if not for the speed of the bike. Dosent make it any less sad tho. But perhaps use the video to highlight what speeding on your bike can cause? As well as car awareness as aposed to making it look like he was murdered by an evil car driver.

My heartfelt sympathy for David's family. Sadly tragedies like this one happen all too often and I applaud David's family for releasing the sad and shocking last few moments of the sons life. As a driver of many years I have witnessed (and been a passenger ) bikes travelling at high speed, as a driver I have had to slam on my brakes or swerve because the car driver in front isn't concentrating and driving dangerously and recklessly. Which I am sure many fellow drivers have also. This video and David's mum is asking bikers and car drivers to be more aware, to help save a life of another person and this can only be a good thing. Both rider and driver were at fault , sadly one paid with his life and the other will have to live with the consequences for the rest of their life. Slow down, concentrate, be aware and stay safe.

in response to you LB you state that you object because the majority of the blame has been focused at the driver of the car BUT if you had read the article correctly you would have also read that the driver of the car ADMITTED that the collision was his fault, "The 38-year-old had been travelling at about 97mph at the time of the collision. While he was travelling above the speed limit the driver admitted to police in interview that he had not seen David, nor a car behind the motorcycle, prior to the collision."
The WHOLE point of the campaign is to MAKE CAR DRIVERS MORE AWARE OF MOTORCYCLES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why don't people read articles fully and get a grasp of the reasons behind the subject before they make comment?

LB don't be an idiot. Regardless of speed the driver pulled out without looking, and while you sit here complaining that the driver has to live with this for the rest of his life, there is a family missing a son, possibly a wife missing a husband and maybe even children missing a dad. The person driving the car will have to live with it, because they caused Davids death due to careless driving. People need to pay more attention when driving..

Pause the video at 2:53, which is when or just before the car starts turning.
I think that shows why the driver of the car was prosecuted. Looking at this situation, even at 50 or 60mph, I think the incident would have happened. The speed of the motorcyclist was clearly an important factor in the severity of the incident, but not, in my opinion, the cause. Had the motorcyclist been going slower, he would likely have had time to avoid the car andor slow down significantly before the impact, likely leaving with no or minor injuries.
As a motorcyclist myself I find I have to think "what if that motorist pulls out" or "has the driverrider seen me" and think "what can I do to make sure I can avoid it if it does". Not something the motorcyclist should in principle have to do, but defensive ridingdriving which is a good mindset for all motorists to use. When it's your life or health in danger in a way it isn't with a tin box to protect you, you certainly think more!
Thank you to the family for publishing this as all motorists will be able to learn something from it.

I'll be honest, when I heard this story on the radio, I felt sorry for the driver that was prosecuted because David was doing 100 mph. I thought that maybe if he wasn't speeding the accident could have been avoided so why does the driver of the car have to suffer. However, now I have seen the footage, the driver of the car is clearly at fault for pulling across David's path. If David had been coming round a corner and wasn't even in site when the car pulled across then David doing 100mph would have been the cause of the accident, but he wasn't. Unfortunately, this could happen to any of us if we lose concentration or worse still are on a mobile phone, something I will NEVER do!! RIP David.

I've shared the video along with a warning to everyone I know. This is one of the most horrible things I've ever seen in my life, and as a biker myself, I know it could happen to any of us. Peace and love to the family.

Wow!! what a harsh reality check, it just shows the lack of concentration of the car driver added to the speed of the motorcyclist that collisions happen very fast, in a matter of seconds!!
Davids family are very strong to release this video and it shows they loved him very much.
My heart goes out to the whole family for their terrible loss..

Oh how awful my heart is pounding and can honestly say I cried especially to hear David's voice say oh or something like that , I do not drive but my husband does and I will now as he does constantly look out for motorcyclists as we have seen a few laying in the roads where I live , but must say some use the main road I live down to open up their bikes and it's like brands hatch ! My heart goes out to David's family and I think they have done the right thing by showing his accident , R.I.P David x

I was shocked by the instant of the impact, it was like I was on the motorcycle with David. I applaud the family for having the courage to release this video. My hope is that enough people will see this to make a difference when it comes to road safety.